GLENN HUGHES
Soulfully Live in the City of Angels
Frontiers Records 2004
www.glennhuges.com

What's the 4-1-1?
Ex-Deep Purple vocalist gets intimate with his fans. The 2 CD/1 DVD Soulfully Live...was recorded live in the studio in front of an audience that consisted of a handful of fans and friends. Glenn is also joined on stage by fellow musicians Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Kevin Dubrow (Quiet Riot), and Alex Ligertwood (ex-Santana).

Genre
Rock n' roll / classic rock / melodic rock

The Good
CD 1 highlights tracks from Glenn's last studio album Songs in the Key of Rock. What's surprised me was, I thought his last album wasn't so good, but the tracks he performs here live sound so much better. You can't deny Glenn's soulful melodic voice on "Can't Stop the Flood". He's backed up by some cool meaty riffs. Dubrow & Ligertwood hit the stage for back up vocals on "Higher Places", although you can barely tell. There are some great twangy guitars here and a catchy sing-along chorus. Can't picture Dubrow doing stuff like this. With all the emotion put forward on "Written All Over Your Face", you'd swear that Glenn was a part of a R & B soul group back in the day. The extended instrumental breaks are just unbelievable. Keep an ear out for the keyboard tones on "Medusa", they will surely take you back to Hughes’s seventies heyday.

CD 2 is a mish-mash of Hughes material from the past and present. Reaching back to the Hughes/Thrall days, "First Step of Love" is packed with plenty of eighties power rock and catchy melodies. Of course Hughes is well known for his days with Deep Purple, so he included two extended versions of a couple of his favorites. The 11+ minute version of "Mistreated" is loaded with classic guitar rhythms and solos, while the 10+ minute "Gettin' Tighter" displays more of the same with more accent on Glenn's vocal abilities and crowd interaction. There's even a DVD that chronicles the whole event that sure to please die-hard fans and casual fans alike.

The Bad
Nope.

The Verdict
I'm always a bit stand-off-ish with 'live' albums, but Soulfully Live...is the way it should be done. The intimate setting makes for a better quality recording. Glenn is just on fire vocally, even improving upon some of his previously recorded hits. And for a band that doesn't play together on a regular basis, they sure sound like they've got their act together.

Did you know?
Hughes was the lead singer for Black Sabbath on 1986's The Seventh Star. He also appeared on a single for the techno group the KLF, entitled "America - What Time Is Love?"

Rating: out of 5

Related Reviews:
Glenn Hughes - Soul Mover

--George Dionne